Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Outreach

• We collaborate with Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), and other student and community organizations to recruit a broad group of applicants to our program.
• We host virtual open house events to facilitate applicants getting to know our program better before applications are due.

Application Review & Requirements

• We do not have cut off scores for USMLE or COMLEX exams and have not since prior to 2020.
• We do not require USMLE exams for our osteopathic candidates.
• We review applications equally from all geographic regions.
• We recruit internationally (currently because of institutional limitations we can only sponsor J1 visas).
• We holistically review all of the applications we receive with a goal of getting to know each candidate as a person.

Selection and Interview Process

• We seek candidates who are team-players with strong emotional intelligence, and intellectual curiosity.
• We offer virtual interviews to approximately 200 candidates.
• Our interviews focus on behavioral questions designed to learn who you are rather than what you have done (recognizing not everyone has the same opportunities before residency).

Cultivate a training environment that creates opportunities for success and a sense of empowered belonging for everyone

• Recruit candidates who work well in teams and have emotional intelligence.
• A categorical residency that builds relationships from the first day of intern year.

Resident-Faculty Sponsor Program

• Introduced in 2022 to increase sponsorship in the residency program to ensure that each of our residents can access opportunities for success.
• The faculty sponsor: facilitates opportunities, promotes success, boosts your productivity, amplifies your work, increases your visibility, strategies for success, connects you to mentors and others in the field, and if needed, defends your struggles.

Disparities Case Conference

• Once a quarter we use our resident morning report to discuss an anesthetic case of healthcare disparities.
  • Previous topics explored: the incarcerated population, discrimination in transplantation, and cultural humility in treating COVID.
• Our intent is to foster open, honest discussion that challenges our individual assumptions and encourages us to consider issues from different viewpoints. This not only fuels our own personal and professional growth, it also helps us meet our patients exactly where they are, so that we can provide the support and services they need for improved health and wellness.

Learn from each other and the community around us

Participate in Columbus Pride, march for Black Lives Matter, advocate at the state house for women’s rights

We believe that you only improve something by transparently tracking it. And while true diversity does not fit on a bar graph, here is our progress in a small subset of diversity.

See how we are doing (PDF)

Department of Anesthesiology DEI committee

Demicha Rankin, MD

Galina Dimitrova, MD

Veena Satyapriya, MD

Plato Lysandrou, MD

Our DEI Committee meets quarterly and has representation from our residents, staff, admin, and faculty. Subcommittees include: Education, Clinical, Research, Talent/Culture and Healthy Communities. For more information regarding the continuous work we are developing and nurturing contact: vanessa.sawson@osumc.edu

Ohio State Anesthesiologists’ strategies to build a culture of inclusivity

• Implicit bias and anti-racism training for everyone involved in residency recruitment
• Anti-racism, implicit bias, and microaggressions Departmental Grand Rounds
• Quarterly DEI Book Club
• Research into perioperative healthcare disparities
• Collaborate with the community to ensure best patient care and experiences
• Collaborate with other departments and engage with greater Ohio State Anti-Racism Action Plan

Institution-wide initiatives

• The Anti-Racism Initiative at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
• Diversity and inclusion programs at The Ohio State University
• Find out more about our institutional commitment to diversity here.